Mounting frame for fabric pressing pads and the like



May 4, 1965 MOUNTING K. PETRASCH FRAME FOR FABRIC PRESSING PADS AND THE LIKE Filed April 19, 1965 FIG 1 INVENTOR.

Kari: Peimsclz BY M; azz

United States Patent 0 3,181,259 MQUNTlNG FRAME lFQR FAllRlC PRESSlNG PADS; AND THE LllQlE Kurt Petrasch, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignor of fifty percent to Nathan Root, Grand Rapids, Mich. Filed Apr. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 274:,lldtl 6 Claims. (til. 38-66) This invention relates to a frame to mount a pressing pad or the like with respect to an ultimate support, for example, on the buck of a fabric pressing machine.

It is customary to employ pressing pads of various kinds in conjunction with pressing machines for wearing apparel and other articles, e.g. curtains, draperies, and the like. In general, such pads are positioned adjacent the upper or lower buck or both. In the case of steam pressing, the upper buck is hollow and has a lower, usually concave, wall provided with a plurality of orifices through which the steam issues and diffuses through a porous pressing pad carried adjacent such wall. The pad has other functions not pertinent to the instant disclosure. Pads as so used usually comprise one or more super-imposed layers of textile fabric and/0r layers of flexible metallic mesh in some predetermined arrangement. In some cases the pad may consist of or comprise a perforate metallic sheet. Additionally, a pad is carried on the hollow lower buck and is characterized by resiliency and porosity whereby, upon application of vacuum through suitable openings in the upper wall, moisture is withdrawn from the lower pad and the article being operated on.

In connection with a pad associated with the upper buck it is necessary that the same be provided with means in the form of a frame for mounting the same. In the case of a multiple layer pad the mounting means desirably serves also to maintain the several layers in their superimposed relation and to restrain them from undue sagging due to their flexibility. The pad associated with the lower buck may be of matted stainless steel wool, synthetic sponge rubber or other cushiony material which is ordinarily overlaid with a canvas cover equipped with a drawstring to secure the cover and pad. However, there may be instances where a frame is desirable for the lower pad also.

Various expedients have been known to effectuate the foregoing purposes. However, while these are adequate as a mounting means none of them known to me functions adequately to maintain the several layers constituting a multiple layer assembly in secure engagement with the frame, it being understood that, in practice, an upper pad will tend to sag under gravity and that both the upper and lower pads are constantly subjected to laterally-applied shifting forces which have a decided tendency to sepa rate the layer or layers from the frame.

Accordingly, certain objects of my invention reside in providing a frame for a pressing pad or the like which is readily assembled with the layer or layers which the frame is adapted to support; which is adapted to provide reliable gripping engagement of the layer or layers; which is formed from a single piece of raw stock, preferably extruded metal, and which is so constructed as to avoid injury to the operator and the article being pressed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description which, taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred form of carrying the invention into practice.

In this drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one style and shape of pressing pad incorporating the frame of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial section taken transversely through the pad and frame;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged cross section of a predddlidd Patented May 4, l fi ferred form of raw material for the frame before being deformed into its final engagement with the layer or layers of the pad proper;

FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective detail to show the several layers of a pad in their relation to the frame prior to assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross section through an upper buck showing a pad incorporating the invention in Opera tive position.

Broadly regarded, the invention comprises a frame having a contour configured substantially to the perimeter of the buck with which it is adapted to be employed. Corn sidered in its transverse cross section, the frame is of in verted generally V-form, one leg of which constitutes the outer part of the frame and has a distal projection inwardly of the V, and the other, or inner leg of which has a distal projection outwardly of the V. These projections may, in the longitudinal aspect of the frame, be regarded as ribs. Both ribs lend strength to the legs of the V and, desirably, the rib on the outer leg is of less depth than the one on the inner leg inasmuch as the former is on the active face of the pad and, therefore, should not mask that face more than is necessary in order that the available working area of the pad is not reduced. The inner rib projects inwardly to the greatest possible extent to pen form its rigidifying function, and yet not so far as to pro elude bending the material of the frame to its minimum expected radius without intolerable buckling, nor not so far as to obstruct any of the orifices in the buck through which steam is discharged. The ribs are so related that when the layer or layers of the pad are positioned within the V and the sides forced to converge, the inner rib will nest within or clear the outer rib with the pad seized therebetween. To avoid tearing of the layer or layers of the pad proper the corner presented by the inner rib and its associated side is rounded off. To avoid possible damage to the article being pressed, the outer corner presented by the outer rib and its associated side is also rounded off. In order that the legs of the V may be caused to converge without undue resistance or incurring fracture or the danger of subsequent fracture, the junction of the sides is constituted by a web of arcuate cross section, viz., a longitudinally truncated hollow cylinder which is desirably thinner than the sides whereby bending will occur in this region and not in the sides of the V. Further to provide reliable securement of the layer or layers of the pad in the frame, the interior of the legs are each provided with protuberant portions, e.g. longitudinally-extended ribs designed to be staggered or interdigitated when the frame is clamped to the pad. Preferably these ribs have a sharpened crest for embedment in the pad proper but not so sharp as to cut thereinto. Thus, that portion of the pad therebetween is obliged to assume an undulating form resisting forces which tend to separate the pad from the frame, such separating forces also being opposed by the sharp edges of the ribs. The frame is formed to a perimetric configuration conforming to that of the buck, the ends are butted and then suitably joined, e.g. by means of a strap and rivets. At suitable intervals along the extent of the frame, means are provided to attach the assembly to the buck, e.g. plates having a hole to receive the hooked ends of a tension spring passing from one plate, over the buck and hooked into an opposite plate, this latter feature being common in the art. By utilizing lengths of extruded raw material for the frame and joining the same as mentioned above, a great variety of shapes and sizes may be readily fabricated by the use of inexpensive forming dies and with virtually no waste of raw material, as compared to other types of frames which are die cut from fiat material and formed up.

Reverting to the drawing there is shown, by way of example (FIG-S. l and 4), an assembly of a pressing pad comprising several layers, e.g. an outer layer of flannel 10, an intermediate layer of asbestos cloth 11 and an inner layer of woven metal mesh 12. However, it is to be understood that the components of the pad per se are not to be regarded as limited within the purview of the invention. Reference is made to the co-pending application of Nathan Root, Serial No. 256,041, filed on February 4, 1963, for details of a pad as so constituted. Nor is the outline of the pad to be regarded as confined to that shown since the same may assume an infinite variety of outlines depending upon the end use. That illustrated is of the typpe adapted for use with the upper buck of one make of industrial clothes pressing machine.

The frame 15 comprises a length of extruded metal, e.g. aluminum, of the transverse cross section seen in FIG. 3, the same being formed to the desired contour, e.g. of substantially flat-sided elliptical form, the ends being butted and joined with a riveted strap (not shown) or any other suitable expedient. The frame material may be best described, before being assembled with the elements 10, 11 and 12, as an inverted trough of substantially V-shaped cross section, including an outer side 21 and an inner side 22 joined by an arcuate web portion 23 which is substantially a longitudinally truncated hollow cylinder. This web 23 is desirably somewhat thinner than the sides 21 and 22 so that, when the legs are forced to converge, bending in the web rather than in the legs, is assured. At its free edge, the side 21 is provided with a bead 25 preferably of generally semi-circular cross section to insure against damage to the article being pressed or injury to the operator. The side 22 is provided on its free edge with a rib 26 desirably of greater depth than the bead 25 to add rigidity to the assembly but not of such depth as to block any of the orifices in the buck. The lesser depth of the bead 25 is calculated to avoid detracting unduly from the available active surface of the pressing pad. Each of the confronting faces of the sides 21 and 22 are desirably provided with at least one sharp rib 31 and 32 respectively, arranged in staggered relation in order that, when the sides 21 and 22 are converged to grip the several elements of the pad proper, they will be interdigitated and, by such action, crimp the adjacent portion of the elements 10, 11 and 12 into undulant form. Thus, the localized pressure and/ or penetrating action of the ribs 31 and 32 combined with the undulant deformation of the pad elements results in a superior degree of engagement between the pad and frame (FIG. 2). It will be understood that the degree of said penetration shall be regulated to avoid piercing the layers. When the frame and layers of the pad are finally assembled, as shown in FIG. 2, the cross section of the frame will be essentially of V-form due to unavoidable spring-back, it being understood that the gripping action of the sides 21 and 22 is dependent on a cantilever action.

From the foregoing it will have become apparent that the elements 10, 11 and 12 are blanked out to such form as will allow the entrance of a marginal zone of the superimposed layers into the space defined between the sides 21 and 22 and the web 23. While thus arranged, the frame is subjected to pressure between forming dies to converge the sides 21 and 22 into clamping engagement with the several layers.

FIG. shows the assembly installed on the upper buck 39 of a steam pressing machine. Support is afforded by a plurality of tension springs 41 passing over the buck,

4 the hooked ends of the springs being engaged in holes provided in plates 20 secured to the side of the frame.

In the case of a pad comprising an innermost layer, an outermost layer and an intermediate layer or layers, it may be desirable to blank the intermediate layer or layers of lesser dimensions than the innermost and outermost layers, and to clamp only the latter two in the frame since, in such event, the intermediate layer or layers will be found to be sufiiciently positioned and supported by the other layers.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a pressing pad or like assembly which comprises a plurality of superimposed layers of flexible material, the improvement which comprises a frame co-extensive with the periphery of the pad, said frame being in the form of an inverted substantially V-form trough having inner and outer opposite sides substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pad and a bendable web joining said sides at the apex of the V, said web having a thickness less than that of either of said sides to facilitate bending in the region of the web, said sides and web together defining a space receiving an upturned marginal portion of at least the exterior ones of said layers, said sides being mutually converged into gripping relation with said upturned portion.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized in that the confronting faces of said sides are each provided with at least one longitudinally extending rib indenting the said layers for implemented gripping action.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 2 further characterized in that the ribs on each face are in staggered relation.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 2 in which the ribs are of substantially V-shaped transverse cross section with the apex outwardly disposed.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 4 further characterized in that ribs on each side are in staggered relation.

6. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized in that the free edge of the outer side terminates in a substantially semi-cylindrical bead, the curvature of which is a smooth continuation of the exterior face of said outer side.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,960 2/07 McCallum 24-67 1,105,431 4/14 Hodgson 24-67 1,374,463 8/32 Danin 38-66 2,050,052 8/36 Galvin 3866 2,258,343 10/41 Walker 24-123 2,728,965 1/56 Hillman 24115.l 2,877,577 3/59 Jacobson 38-66 I FOREIGN PATENTS 905,613 9/62 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PRESSING PAD OR LIKE ASSEMBLY WHICH COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF SUPERIMPOSED LAYERS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A FRAME CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE PERIPHERY OF THE PAD, SAID FRAME BEING IN THE FORM OF AN INVERTED SUBSTANTIALLY V-FORM TROUGH HAVING INNER AND OUTER OPPOSITE SIDES SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE PAD AND A BENDABLE WEB JOINING SAID SIDES AT THE APEX OF THE V, SAID WEB HAVING A THICKNESS LESS THAN THAT OF EITHER OF SAID SIDES AND WEB TOGETHER ING IN THE REGION OF THE WEB, SAID SIDES AND WEB TOGETHER DEFINING A SPACE RECEIVING AN UPTRUNED MARGINAL PORTION OF AT LEAST THE EXTERIOR ONES OF SAID LAYERS, SAID SIDES BEING MUTUALLY CONVERGED INTO GRIPPING RELATION WITH SAID UPTURNED PORTION. 